List of Texas Tech Red Raiders in the NFL Draft
The Texas Tech Red Raiders football team, representing Texas Tech University, has had 151 players drafted into the National Football League since the league began holding drafts in 1936. This includes six players taken in the first round and one overall number one pick, Dave Parks in the 1964 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have drafted the most Red Raiders, eleven and nine, respectively. The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars are the only current franchises to not have drafted a player from Texas Tech. Three former Red Raiders have been selected to a Pro Bowl, seven former Red Raiders have won a league championship with their respective teams, and three former Red Raiders have been selected to both a Pro Bowl and won a league championship. Only one former Red Raider, Patrick Mahomes, has gone on to win the league Most Valuable Player award.
Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual NFL Draft. The draft rules were last updated in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next-worst team second, and so on. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule. Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination.
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the American Football League operated in direct competition with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues would hold a multiple round "Common Draft". When the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the "Common Draft" simply became the NFL Draft.
Notably, this list does not include undrafted Texas Tech players that have played for the NFL, for example, Wes Welker.
Key
Drafts
American Football League
| Year | Round | Pick | Overall | Player name | Position | AFL team | Notes |
| 1961 | 1 | 6 | 6 | ♦ | LB | Dallas Texans | AFL All-Star AFL champion Super Bowl champion |
| 1963 | 12 | 2 | 170 | RB | San Diego Chargers | — | |
| 1964 | 4 | 8 | 32 | † | E | San Diego Chargers | Pro Bowl |
National Football League
| Year | Round | Pick | Overall | Player name | Position | NFL team | Notes |
| 1938 | 6 | 2 | 42 | E | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1939 | 3 | 3 | 18 | HB | Cleveland Rams | — | |
| 1940 | 7 | 10 | 60 | C | New York Giants | — | |
| 1940 | 11 | 1 | 91 | C | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1941 | 18 | 9 | 169 | G | Brooklyn Dodgers | — | |
| 1942 | 19 | 3 | 173 | B | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1943 | 9 | 6 | 76 | G | New York Giants | — | |
| 1944 | 7 | 1 | 55 | B | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1944 | 23 | 2 | 232 | T | Brooklyn Dodgers | — | |
| 1945 | 1 | 11 | 11 | FB | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1945 | 27 | 10 | 284 | E | New York Giants | — | |
| 1946 | 12 | 7 | 107 | T | Detroit Lions | — | |
| 1946 | 18 | 9 | 169 | FB | Washington Redskins | — | |
| 1946 | 28 | 1 | 261 | T | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1947 | 18 | 2 | 157 | C | Boston Yanks | — | |
| 1947 | 26 | 8 | 243 | B | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1947 | 28 | 5 | 260 | E | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1947 | 30 | 6 | 281 | T | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1948 | 24 | 3 | 218 | G | Washington Redskins | — | |
| 1948 | 32 | 3 | 296 | E | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1949 | 5 | 2 | 43 | B | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1949 | 6 | 6 | 57 | B | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1949 | 14 | 3 | 154 | C | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1949 | 23 | 2 | 223 | E | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1950 | 27 | 4 | 343 | E | Detroit Lions | — | |
| 1951 | 20 | 8 | 239 | T | New York Yanks | — | |
| 1951 | 27 | 8 | 323 | B | New York Yanks | — | |
| 1951 | 29 | 9 | 349 | B | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1952 | 6 | 12 | 73 | T | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1952 | 13 | 11 | 157 | C | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1953 | 18 | 3 | 208 | HB | Washington Redskins | — | |
| 1954 | 3 | 1 | 26 | HB | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1954 | 8 | 2 | 87 | T | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1954 | 17 | 10 | 203 | T | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 1955 | 9 | 2 | 99 | B | Baltimore Colts | — | |
| 1955 | 10 | 6 | 115 | E | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1955 | 21 | 12 | 253 | FB | Cleveland Browns | — | |
| 1955 | 22 | 6 | 259 | T | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1956 | 3 | 1 | 26 | T | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 1956 | 6 | 6 | 67 | HB | Baltimore Colts | — | |
| 1956 | 12 | 5 | 138 | T | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1956 | 13 | 5 | 150 | FB | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1956 | 19 | 7 | 224 | E | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1956 | 21 | 4 | 245 | HB | Chicago Cardinals | — | |
| 1957 | 8 | 11 | 96 | ‡ | T | Chicago Bears | NFL champion |
| 1957 | 13 | 11 | 156 | QB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1958 | 7 | 4 | 77 | B | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1958 | 24 | 9 | 286 | B | New York Giants | — | |
| 1958 | 27 | 6 | 319 | QB | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 1958 | 27 | 10 | 323 | QB | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 1961 | 2 | 3 | 16 | ♦ | LB | Dallas Cowboys | AFL All-Star AFL champion Super Bowl champion |
| 1962 | 3 | 12 | 40 | † | T | Philadelphia Eagles | AFL All-Star |
| 1962 | 12 | 9 | 163 | ♦ | RB | Baltimore Colts | AFL All-Star AFL champion Super Bowl champion |
| 1963 | 12 | 4 | 158 | RB | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1963 | 16 | 14 | 224 | FB | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1964 | 1 | 1 | 1 | † | E | San Francisco 49ers | Pro Bowl |
| 1965 | 1 | 7 | 7 | ♦ | HB | Green Bay Packers | Pro Bowl NFL champion Super Bowl champion |
| 1965 | 9 | 5 | 117 | RB | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 1965 | 15 | 3 | 199 | T | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 1965 | 18 | 8 | 246 | RB | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 1965 | 18 | 10 | 248 | E | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1966 | 14 | 5 | 205 | RB | Washington Redskins | — | |
| 1967 | 12 | 1 | 289 | B | New Orleans Saints | — | |
| 1968 | 4 | 10 | 93 | LB | Detroit Lions | — | |
| 1968 | 15 | 25 | 406 | RB | Oakland Raiders | — | |
| 1969 | 4 | 9 | 87 | RB | Baltimore Colts | — | |
| 1969 | 6 | 12 | 142 | K | Green Bay Packers | — | |
| 1969 | 13 | 1 | 312 | T | Buffalo Bills | — | |
| 1969 | 13 | 16 | 329 | T | Minnesota Vikings | — | |
| 1969 | 15 | 16 | 380 | DB | Minnesota Vikings | — | |
| 1970 | 3 | 23 | 75 | DB | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 1970 | 9 | 26 | 234 | T | Kansas City Chiefs | — | |
| 1970 | 12 | 21 | 307 | K | Cleveland Browns | — | |
| 1972 | 10 | 2 | 236 | DB | New York Giants | — | |
| 1973 | 9 | 12 | 220 | C | Atlanta Falcons | — | |
| 1973 | 15 | 6 | 370 | LB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1974 | 2 | 12 | 38 | TE | Miami Dolphins | — | |
| 1974 | 13 | 4 | 316 | QB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1975 | 7 | 16 | 172 | WR | New England Patriots | — | |
| 1975 | 16 | 14 | 404 | WR | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1976 | 6 | 2 | 158 | ‡ | DB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Super Bowl champion |
| 1976 | 17 | 9 | 468 | DB | Atlanta Falcons | — | |
| 1977 | 3 | 11 | 67 | LB | Kansas City Chiefs | — | |
| 1977 | 6 | 21 | 196 | QB | Cincinnati Bengals | — | |
| 1978 | 4 | 6 | 90 | RB | New York Giants | — | |
| 1978 | 5 | 5 | 115 | DB | New Orleans Saints | — | |
| 1978 | 5 | 22 | 132 | DT | New York Giants | — | |
| 1978 | 8 | 9 | 203 | P | New York Jets | — | |
| 1978 | 12 | 8 | 314 | T | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 1979 | 11 | 16 | 291 | WR | Minnesota Vikings | — | |
| 1980 | 3 | 10 | 66 | RB | Kansas City Chiefs | — | |
| 1980 | 4 | 19 | 102 | DB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — | |
| 1980 | 8 | 2 | 195 | T | Baltimore Colts | — | |
| 1980 | 8 | 16 | 209 | LB | Cleveland Browns | — | |
| 1980 | 10 | 20 | 269 | DB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1981 | 1 | 21 | 21 | ‡ | DB | Oakland Raiders | Super Bowl champion |
| 1982 | 8 | 20 | 215 | ‡ | P | San Diego Chargers | Super Bowl champion |
| 1982 | 8 | 25 | 220 | DB | Miami Dolphins | — | |
| 1982 | 10 | 10 | 261 | QB | Houston Oilers | — | |
| 1983 | 1 | 21 | 21 | DT | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 1983 | 9 | 14 | 238 | DT | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — | |
| 1983 | 10 | 5 | 256 | RB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1984 | 7 | 14 | 182 | DB | Buffalo Bills | — | |
| 1985 | 5 | 9 | 121 | LB | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1985 | 7 | 13 | 181 | T | Cincinnati Bengals | — | |
| 1985 | 11 | 12 | 292 | DE | New York Jets | — | |
| 1986 | 3 | 24 | 79 | LB | New York Jets | — | |
| 1986 | 4 | 7 | 89 | DB | St. Louis Cardinals | — | |
| 1986 | 12 | 14 | 319 | DB | Cleveland Browns | — | |
| 1987 | 2 | 5 | 33 | DB | Buffalo Bills | — | |
| 1987 | 5 | 5 | 117 | ‡ | RB | Washington Redskins | Super Bowl champion |
| 1987 | 9 | 16 | 239 | DB | Minnesota Vikings | — | |
| 1988 | 5 | 13 | 133 | DB | Philadelphia Eagles | — | |
| 1988 | 6 | 23 | 161 | CB | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1988 | 10 | 17 | 266 | NT | Miami Dolphins | — | |
| 1989 | 2 | 23 | 51 | QB | San Diego Chargers | — | |
| 1990 | 5 | 11 | 121 | RB | New England Patriots | — | |
| 1991 | 4 | 5 | 88 | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 1992 | 8 | 4 | 200 | RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — | |
| 1992 | 12 | 9 | 317 | DB | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 1994 | 3 | 26 | 91 | RB | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 1994 | 6 | 9 | 170 | WR | Chicago Bears | — | |
| 1994 | 6 | 15 | 176 | WR | New Orleans Saints | — | |
| 1996 | 5 | 1 | 133 | DB | New York Jets | — | |
| 1996 | 5 | 22 | 154 | † | LB | Miami Dolphins | Pro Bowl |
| 1997 | 2 | 11 | 41 | RB | Atlanta Falcons | — | |
| 1998 | 7 | 36 | 225 | CB | Minnesota Vikings | — | |
| 1999 | 2 | 27 | 58 | ‡ | DT | Denver Broncos | Super Bowl champion |
| 1999 | 5 | 34 | 167 | CB | Denver Broncos | — | |
| 2000 | 5 | 1 | 130 | CB | Cleveland Browns | — | |
| 2000 | 5 | 27 | 156 | FB | Buffalo Bills | — | |
| 2001 | 7 | 37 | 237 | DT | Seattle Seahawks | — | |
| 2002 | 4 | 29 | 127 | DB | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 2003 | 6 | 21 | 194 | DT | Denver Broncos | — | |
| 2003 | 6 | 28 | 201 | ‡ | QB | New England Patriots | Super Bowl champion |
| 2004 | 4 | 3 | 99 | WR | Oakland Raiders | — | |
| 2004 | 7 | 47 | 248 | QB | Houston Texans | — | |
| 2005 | 4 | 28 | 129 | ‡ | G | Indianapolis Colts | Super Bowl champion |
| 2005 | 5 | 14 | 150 | OT | Tennessee Titans | — | |
| 2005 | 7 | 20 | 234 | LB | Baltimore Ravens | — | |
| 2006 | 7 | 16 | 224 | C | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 2007 | 4 | 18 | 117 | G | Detroit Lions | — | |
| 2007 | 6 | 14 | 188 | WR | Tennessee Titans | — | |
| 2007 | 7 | 32 | 242 | LB | Indianapolis Colts | — | |
| 2009 | 1 | 10 | 10 | WR | San Francisco 49ers | — | |
| 2009 | 2 | 16 | 48 | DB | Denver Broncos | — | |
| 2009 | 3 | 14 | 78 | G | San Diego Chargers | — | |
| 2009 | 4 | 20 | 120 | DE | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 2010 | 6 | 27 | 196 | CB | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 2011 | 7 | 29 | 232 | RB | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | |
| 2014 | 2 | 17 | 49 | TE | New York Jets | — | |
| 2014 | 7 | 14 | 238 | LB | Dallas Cowboys | — | |
| 2016 | 3 | 19 | 82 | OT | Indianapolis Colts | — | |
| 2016 | 5 | 4 | 143 | RB | Oakland Raiders | — | |
| 2016 | 6 | 11 | 186 | WR | Miami Dolphins | — | |
| 2017 | 1 | 10 | 10 | QB | Kansas City Chiefs | NFL Most Valuable Player Super Bowl champion Super Bowl Most Valuable Player | |
| 2018 | 4 | 3 | 103 | WR | Houston Texans | — | |
| 2018 | 6 | 18 | 191 | WR | Los Angeles Chargers | — | |
| 2019 | 7 | 39 | 253 | LB | Los Angeles Rams | — | |
| 2020 | 1 | 27 | 27 | LB | Seattle Seahawks | — | |
| 2020 | 5 | 24 | 170 | DT | Baltimore Ravens | — |